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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | I have been considering keeping a "Musky Journal" for some time. From those of you who keep a fishing log, how valuable has the information become as the your musky career becomes years upon years of fishing data? I feel this would only assist me in the ability to take a specific conditions and break them down into what has worked in the past and what may be more successful in the future. This fishing log would include valuable information from every outing whether a fish was caught or not. Information recorded in this fishing log would be as follows:
date/time/location
air temp/water temp
structure fished/baits used/presentations
moon phase/barometer
# follows/fish missed
# fish caught
This is the core of what I thought a fishing log should contain. The true discipline is to record the information after or during the fishing day.
Is there anything else that should be included within a fishing log? Any other ideas pertaining to this subject would be much appreciated.
Edited by Got Esox? 6/7/2006 8:55 AM
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Posts: 50
Location: Park Ridge, Illinois | I’ve started with about the same attributes but added “water level” |
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Posts: 281
Location: Girdwood, Alaska | This is what each page of my log book contains:
Date/Time/Body of Water
Skies (clear/partly clear/partly cloudy/overcast/storms/lightning)
Barometric Trend
Major Disturbance in last 24 hours
Wind Direction/wind speed
Precipitation (Haze/Fog/Drizzle/rain/sleet/hail/snow)
Air Temp/Water Temp
Moon Cycle/Major Time/Minor Time
Then some information on the fish:
True Musky/ Spotted Musky/Hybrid/pike/other
Length/Girth/Weight Estimation
Markings/Unusual Details
And how it was caught:
Casting/Trolling/live bait/other
Lure type/lure name/lure size/color/lure speed
And where:
Location/depth of water/lure depth
fish on: first 10' of retrieve/ middle / last 10'/figure 8
Bottom Content: muck/sand/gravel/rocks/boulders/other
or Weeds: none/Cabbage/Junk/Lily Pads/Bulrushes/Milfoil/Elodea/ other
Or other structure. etc...
I also include Water Clarity (stained or clear) and dirty/clean.
I leave a big section at the bottom of each page for "other information" and i will put any follows or any other stuff there that is not found elsewhere on the page. I always will record this information after a fish is caught, and usually i will record follows as well. Hope this helps...
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Posts: 723
| I had bought an actual book for this, I think its called "fishing journal" how original.. Anyway, It has pretty much the same listings you had, and has an area for additional notes on the bottom. I have recorded catches, hot days, crappy days, weather trends with an upcoming change. what affect this change had on fish. blah blah. after 4years, I still haven't put anything of a pattern together. I have fished on days that have "SEEMED" to be carbon copies of good days I've had, and guess what? absolute opposite results.
But, I wish I would have started to keep a log from when I started musky fishing. Prolly would have quite a bit more info to go off of.
It is a good start to trying to duplicate previous success, and helps you build confidence in certain scenarios and present conditions you are faced with.
The biggest thing like you said is disciplining yourself to write down everything while its fresh in your mind. Put it off after a long day of fishing, and youre likely to forget details that could help you in the long run.
I also like writing down lengths and tag numbers we get. Just for future reference if I happen to catch a repeat offender. 
good luck with your journal, let me know when you have them figured out!
#*^@, A-ROZ has it down!
Edited by dogboy 6/7/2006 9:47 AM
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Posts: 8849
| Here's mine:
Date
Time
Weather conditions (rain, clouds, sunny, etc.)
Wind Direction
Wind Speed
Air Temp
Water Temp
Moon phase
Moon Rise
Moon Set
Major
Minor
Sunrise
Sunset
Lake
Location
Depth
Water Clarity
Type of Structure
Lure
Lure color
Presentation (slow rolling, ripping, straight crank, etc.)
Special Circumstances (anything that may have played a part in where that fish was)
Results (boated fish, lost fish, short strike, lazy follow/etc...)
I don't know that the log itself is what's helpful as much as it is documenting the various conditions, and how it makes you more aware of subtle things you would otherwise miss if you weren't keeping that log...
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | Usually, I am WAY too pumped after the release to write anything down, and by the time I get home, I have forgotten most of it. To combat my musky ADD, I carry a small tape recorder in the boat to speak into, so I can transcribe everything later.
Rob |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | Be sure to add GPS coords, It will help get back on those magic spots on the larger bodies of water
Edited by JohnMD 6/7/2006 11:15 AM
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Posts: 50
Location: Park Ridge, Illinois | muskynightmare - 6/7/2006 11:09 AM
Usually, I am WAY too pumped after the release to write anything down, and by the time I get home, I have forgotten most of it. To combat my musky ADD, I carry a small tape recorder in the boat to speak into, so I can transcribe everything later.
Rob
I agree. This is the best way to ensure it get's recorded. |
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Posts: 1168
| I'll add that I rate the eye candy seen on a body of water just to track which ones are better to hit when a day might turn out to be particularly slow. |
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Posts: 381
| I emailed you a spread sheet of what I use!
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Posts: 626
Location: ashtabula ohio | man too much... i just replied to another topic and then thought i GOTTA start that log this year...then i read this...lol. im logging off and logging in to the log............ |
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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | Thanks for all the feedback, it will all be put to use. I think I will laminate some sheets that have all the info that I can fill in with a wax pencil so it will be water proof. I also plan on carrying voice recorder, (great idea Rob) to put as much info into storage to be recorded later as this will be a quicker way to gather data with more detail and allow for maximized fishing time on the water. I can not see where keeping even somewhat accurate records could hurt your success. GPS coordinates will definatly be recorded as well. Thanks again for all the feedback. |
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Posts: 381
| The issue with the voice recorder is WEATHER and If you want to look back at the last two days or so you have to play it back. I tried it and did not like it.
That is why I use the spread sheet I emailed you. Make extra copies for in your boat.
When you return home type them into you puter!
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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | NXTCAST, thanks for the spreadsheet, it solves a minor problem for me. I was thinking of keeping the voice recorder in my waterprrof case w/ the camera and record the info on the log when home. Anyway thanks for the sheet again. I hope that I will have plenty of action to report the next couple weeks with the summer patterns getting jumpstarted with these nice conditions. |
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